Helping her, Helping him
by Muismiep
Summary: Making life return to normal after such a traumatic event is easier said than done. Harry and the Weasleys figure this out the hard way. After CoS. No-pairing.


**An: Hi everyone, I'm back again with another story. Thank you for all the reviews on Beating the system. You made my day! But enough talking, on with the story. This will be a no-pairing. At least for now.**

**I'm thinking about adding another chapter to this story but for now it's a one-shot.**

* * *

"Mr. Potter… ehem... Harry."

Harry turned around to see Mr Weasley walking towards him. He figured Mr. Weasley wanted to be with Ginny after all of this so he was surprised to see him walking towards him. "Hi Mr. Weasley. What can I do for you? Is Ginny okay?"

Arthur chuckled at his rush of questions. "Ginny is doing okay, she's coping, I think." Arthur sighed and looked Harry again. "But that's what I wanted to talk about. Can we… can we talk somewhere private?"

"Of course Mr. Weasley. I think an empty classroom will do?" Harry looked for an empty classroom and gestured for Arthur to follow. "What can I do for you Mr. Weasley?"

"Oh please, call me Arthur, after everything it's only normal to consider you family."

Harry blushed but stood his ground. "Allright Mr. Wea- Arthur. What can I do for you?"

Arthur sighed. "It's about Ginny, my baby girl. I..I think this won't go over well if she doesn't get any help processing this."

"What do you mean?"

Arthur gestured at Harry to sit down, this would be a long conversation. "I don't know much about your previous year, but Professor Dumbledore told me a few things. How did you handle all that happened to you?"

"I-I don't know, I just did," Harry stammered.

Arthur nodded. "And how are you going to handle this? I'm willing to bet, and I'm sorry if I overstep my boundaries, that you will get nightmares about this."

Harry shook his head. "I can't get nightmares, I just can't."

Arthur frowned, that was weird. "Why Harry? Why can't you get any nightmares?"

Harry's eyes grew wide, as if he said something that he regretted. "No reason, I just can't."

Arthur put his hand on Harry's shoulder, and that he flinched away didn't escape his sight.

"Harry-" But he had moved away already.

"Sorry Mr. Weasley, I… I-"

"It's okay Harry, I will stop asking." _But not stop thinking about it_, he thought after he saw him relax.

They both fell into a comfortable silence, thinking about how to continue this conversation.

"I don't know how I could help her." Arthur looked up into Harry's uncertain face. He was remembered with the harsh reality that this boy, the boy that saved his daughter, still was a kid himself. He began doubting himself, was it fair to ask him this, this responsibility to help his daughter when he has his own demons to battle? But he knew he had to try, because this boy was the only one who understood what happened and could help her.

"She won't talk with us, the moment we ask her what happened she shuts down and tries to chance the subject." Arthur sighed and to Harry it looked like the man just got a few years older. "Can you please try and talk to her, try and get her to open up? I-I know I'm asking a lot of you, but I wouldn't be here if I saw another solution."

For a while it was silent, Arthur was wondering if he was going to answer while Harry was thinking about Arthur's request. He was giving him an option, for the first time Harry could say no, no strings attached. Of course a lot of people would be disappointed in him but he had a choice! The question was, would he forgive himself if he said no? In his heart he already knew the answer.

"I'll try mister Weasley"

"Thank you son." Arthur had no idea how much that small sentence, that small little word, meant to Harry. For him it was nothing, for Harry it meant the world.

* * *

Ginny sat up in her bed, breathing heavily. Another hour, another nightmare. She cried softly, hoping her mother didn't hear her. She had done them enough pain as it was. Being stupid enough to trust the diary. She shook her head, she did not want to think about Tom anymore. She grabbed the memory and put it in a newly made box. Tom's box. Nobody knew about it and she wanted to keep it that way.

Warm arms encircled her and she knew she hadn't been quiet enough. "I'm sorry Mummy." She sobbed out.

"It's okay sweetheart, just go back to sleep."

And with the warmth of her mother she fell back asleep, knowing she would awake in a hour of another nightmare.

Molly kept stroking Ginny's hair, her little girl, the one she kept away from everything to prevent her being hurt was hurting in a way that she couldn't imagine. Worse of all, she couldn't help her. That was her worst fear, that Ginny would never recover from this, that her little spitfire was extinguished. That she wouldn't see that smile anymore.

The door creaked and Molly looked up into the face of her husband. He looked worriedly at his daughter, and back at Molly, knowing the answer already before he asked. "How is she?"

Molly looked at Ginny and saw her fast asleep, she looked back at Arthur and her face crumbled, she dove into his arms and let her emotions free. "Oh Arthur, I don't know what to do. Every hour she wakes up crying. What if she never recovers from this?"

"Shh, It's okay Molly, I feel the same thing. We can't help her because we can't relate with what happened to her. But someone can."

Molly looked up from his embrace. "You didn't." He nodded. "He's just a boy himself Arthur. The poor boy has his own demons to fight against and now you want him to take Ginny's on too? We can't ask that from him."

Arthur sighed. As if he hadn't thought about that. "I know Molly, but right now, he is our only hope. It's not like we know what we're doing, I asked and he said he would try."

"The poor boy, he has enough on his plate already." Molly shook her head.

"About that, there was something Harry said to me. About his nightmares, he said 'I can't have nightmares'."

"What do you mean Arthur, how is that possible? Everyone has nightmares after this."

"I think… I think he meant that his relatives disagree." Arthur quickly put up a silencing charm around them, not wanting to wake Ginny and the rest of the castle.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HIS RELATIVES DISAGREE!"

Arthur hesitated to tell what he found out, he could see the panic in the boy's eyes. But deep down he knew he had to do something. "I think he is being abused." Molly opened her mouth to begin a tirade but he quickly prevented that. He simple held up a hand. "Molly, I don't know about the physical part but the boy practically flinched away from me when I went to put a hand on his shoulder. It could be physical, emotional or both, I don't know. But what I do know is that his upbringing was not optimal."

"But Arthur, we have to do something!"

Arthur smiled, trust his Molly to be worried about every kid. "I'm sorry Molly, but we can't just knock on their door with only a hunch. And that is what we have, nothing more than a hunch, we haven't any concrete proof."

"Is there really nothing to do?"

Arthur sighed. "I don't know, but we can ask." He looked at his daughter and back. "Why don't you get McGonagall and come back here. Normally I would say we go to her but I won't leave my baby girl alone like this."

"You wait here?"

"I will wait here."

"I'll be back in 10 minutes."

Arthur sat down in the chair next to Ginny's bed and took her hand. He really couldn't imagine everything she had gone through this year. He took a good look at her and he didn't like what he saw; her face was completely pale and her eyes were puffy from crying. He really hoped Harry Potter could help her.

Small sniffles awoke him, he looked around and saw Ginny lying there hugging the pillow while trying to be as quiet as possible. He quickly stood up and took her in his arms. "Hey sweetheart, nightmare again?" Ginny nodded. "It's okay, you're safe. Go back to sleep, I will be here" Ginny burrowed deeper in his embrace and fell asleep again. Arthur stayed with her until he needed to use the loo. He knew Molly would be back any second but he couldn't wait any longer. He placed Ginny back into the bed, pulled the covers over her, kissed her head and quickly went to the loo.

* * *

Ginny looked up when the doors to the infirmary closed. She knew her father meant well but she couldn't sleep, not anymore. She couldn't handle the nightmares anymore, not tonight. Sighing she turned around, not noticing the infirmary doors opening and closing. What she did notice was his voice. "Ginny?" She quickly turned around and saw no one, she must have imagined it. But before she could turn around again the cloak fell off of his head and standing there was the boy that saved her a few hours ago. "H-Harry?" She whispered, not believing he was standing here, with her, the girl that brought him so much trouble and pain. How could he look at her and not hate her?

"Yeah, it's me." Harry shuffled awkwardly around, why was he here again? How can people expect him to help her, he didn't even know how.

"What are you doing here?"

Harry looked in her eyes and saw the curiosity but also something else, something he couldn't place. "I wanted to see how you were doing. After everything that happened."

"Oh." There was a long silence.

"Can- Can I sit?"

"Oh! Yeah, I guess you can."

Arthur stood looking at the two, not wishing to interrupt, in the hope he could do something for his little girl. He softly closed the doors, waiting for Molly and Minerva.

* * *

KNOCK KNOCK

Minerva turned around in her bed, what idiot would knock on her door at, she looked at the time, 2 o'clock in the morning. She shook her head and tried to fall asleep again

KNOCK KNOCK

She sighed, put her pillow over her head and closed her eyes again.

KNOCK KNOCK

"The nerve!" She fumed. She stood up, grabbed her robe and walked towards her door.

KNOCK KNOCK

"I'm coming!" She walked towards the door and opened it. "If this isn't imp… Molly?"

Molly stood there a little nervous, Minerva was still her old professor and even though she perfected the glare for her own kids, she still was nervous when she saw the glare heading her way.

"Is everything okay with Ginny?" Minerva asked, this was the only reason she could think of why Molly would wake her at 2 o'clock in the morning.

"Ginny is doing as expected. This is about Harry." Now Minerva was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Can you follow me, Arthur can explain it better."

"Where's Arthur?"

"With Ginny."

Minerva sighed and closed her door. It wouldn't be Hogwarts if events jumped on you when you least expected it. "Let's go."

* * *

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Do you hate me?"

Harry sat up straight, how did she come to that conclusion. "No, why do you think that?"

Ginny sat up, she looked at him with uncertain eyes. "But because of me you almost got killed." She looked away, not wanting to see the hate in his eyes.

"I don't hate you. You were possessed by Voldemort, you didn't know what you were doing."

"But that's the point, I DID know." She spat out, hating herself. She pulled her knees up and hugged them. "After a while I knew something was wrong, every time someone was attacked I woke up, not remembering what happened. One time I even woke up covered in feathers, I still don't know where those were coming from…" She threw her hands up in frustration.

"Hagrid."

Ginny looked up at Harry "What?"

"Those feathers were from Hagrid's roosters, he told me they were all killed."

"Great, now I'm a killer _and_ Hagrid hates me."

"He won't." At Ginny's disbelieving look he continued. "He really won't, Tom told me he forced you to kill those roosters. And if you tell Hagrid the truth he will believe you."

"And what if he won't?"

"Than I will convince him to believe you." Harry smiled and Ginny had a small smile before it disappeared again. They sat in silence again. Both not knowing where to start.

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Will everyone at school hate me?"

"No, they won't."

"Not even the ones who were attacked?"

"Not if you tell them the truth."

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"I'm scared."

* * *

Minerva almost had to run to keep up with Molly, it was clear to her that she wanted to be back as quick as possible. When she spotted Arthur outside the infirmary she almost run towards him. "Arthur, Is everything okay? Is Ginny okay? Is there a problem?" She was rambling and she knew it, but she didn't care.

Arthur put an hand on her shoulder, effectively calming her down. "Everything is okay."

"Why aren't you with her then?" She almost shouted.

"I needed to use the loo so I stepped outside for a second and when I came back I was confronted with this situation."

"What situation?" Minerva and Molly almost screamed.

Arthur chuckled. "You promise to be quiet?" At their confused looks he explained. "Just trust me, if you say something and they notice, you will destroy a lot of good." Both nodded and Arthur slowly opened the infirmary door. Minerva en Molly both peeked in and saw a crying Ginny being comforted by Harry. Arthur quickly closed the doors and stood before them. "You now understand why I said no noise?" Both women nodded and he gestured them both into the same empty classroom where he and Harry had their conversation. "Let's talk."

* * *

Harry sat there thinking. He knew she told him some of her fears, but even he could see there was more that was bothering her. Problem was, in his case, he would shut down if someone brought up the subject. And he just knew she would too. How would he solve that problem in his case? He knew he would tell someone he trusted.

_Maybe that would work by Ginny to, maybe if he told her something of himself she would trust him enough to tell something too._

"I have nightmares." He blurted out. _Great Harry, That's the best you could come up with? _He was silently berating himself when Ginny spoke.

"Me too." It was soft but Harry heard it.

"Do- Do you have many nightmares?" Harry asked, and Ginny nodded. Tears sprang to her eyes when she thought about it.

"I-I see his face."

"Tom?"

Ginny nodded hugging herself, looking for some comfort to get through this. "When I close my eyes he is there, laughing at me, mocking me. He- He said that I wasn't good enough, that I was a failure for my family. That- That they would be glad when I was dead." She closed her eyes and shuddered, trying to put everything in Tom's Box again. She jumped up when she felt an hand on her arm. She opened her eyes and looked into a pair of emerald green eyes. Eyes full of worry.

"Ginny? Are you okay? You were trembling."

Ginny wanted to tell him she was fine, to keep Tom's box closed but she knew it was a bad idea. She knew, if she kept the box closed again it would come back three times as hard.

Harry saw the turmoil in her eyes and did the only thing he could think of, he pulled her in his arms and tried to comfort her.

And being in his warm arms gave her the strength to open Tom's box. She knew he wouldn't judge her, wouldn't hate her. After all, he promised.

* * *

Arthur took a deep breath and began talking. "Earlier this morning I had an conversation with Harry. I asked him if he could help Ginny because Molly and I had no idea how to help her. As you can see he promised to try. But what he said troubled me. I asked him how he was dealing with his nightmares and he said, and I quote, 'I can't have nightmares'. When I asked him about it he panicked and shut down, just like Ginny did when we tried to talk with her about the chamber. The reaction Harry had made me believe there is something or someone in his homelife preventing him from having nightmares. He said it in a way like he got punished if he had nightmares."

Minerva looked at Arthur concerned. "What are you trying to say Arthur?"

Arthur sighed. If he was right with his hunch, they needed to act fast, before the school year was over. "I think he is being abused. Like I said to Molly, I don't know if it's physical or emotional. But the boy flinched away when I went to touch his shoulder. If this isn't a sign I don't know what is."

Minerva fumed and began pacing. "Damn you, Albus. I told you not to leave him with those… those monsters." She turned towards Arthur. "If you're right we need to act fast, the school year is almost over."

"I can contact Amelia Bones, and ask her advice?"

"Good thinking, in the meantime I will try to get Mr. Potter to talk about his past. Although I don't think I'm going to be successful in that. By the way, if I may ask. Why the sudden interest in Mr Potter?"

Arthur swallowed, he had expected this question. "He is helping my baby daughter, so we are helping him."

* * *

**AN: Hope you liked it!**


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